The third edition of the 2025 Pure Poker Tour got underway in classic fashion at Pure Casino Edmonton, with two opening events bringing plenty of heat and hardware to the Alberta felt. It was Shawn Taghavi and George Skrzypniak who stole the early spotlight, each locking up their first PPT titles in dominant style.
Taghavi Steamrolls the Seniors Field in Event #1
The $340 Seniors First 50+ has become a tradition at each PPT stop, and the Edmonton crowd did not disappoint, drawing 143 entries and creating a $42,900 prize pool to get things rolling.
Event #1: $340 50+ Seniors First Payouts
| Position | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shawn Taghavi | $10,820 |
| 2 | Mike X | $7,450 |
| 3 | Terry Schipper | $4,840 |
| 4 | Ron Taylor | $3,725 |
| 5 | Thomas Manse | $2,865 |
| 6 | Dale Campbell | $2,270 |
| 7 | Jean Croteau | 1,785 |
| 8 | Paul Meyer | $1,415 |
| 9 | Randall Logan | $1,155 |
| 10 | Ron Lauzon | $930 |
| 11 | John Donelly | $760 |
| 12 | Fred Werezak | $760 |
| 13 | David McKee | $660 |
| 14 | Carl Schelpe | $660 |
| 15 | Cliff Green | $660 |
After the dust settled on the bubble — with Lyle Bateman falling just short at the hands of Dale Campbell’s queens — the final table quickly turned into a one-man show. That man? Shawn Taghavi.
Taghavi had built a towering stack by the time the final nine took their seats, and he used it to maximum effect. Picking his spots with precision and applying pressure with surgical aggression, he notched five of the seven eliminations leading up to heads-up play.
His opponent, Mike X, showed plenty of fight — including a key double with a flush against Taghavi’s straight — but the comeback fell short. He jammed pocket sixes into Taghavi’s kings and couldn’t improve, crowning Taghavi the first champion of the series and earning him his first Pure Poker Tour trophy.
For full coverage and live updates, head to our live reporting blog.
Skrzypniak Claims Marathon Win in PLO/NLH Mix
Event #2 brought the first taste of mixed game action to Edmonton, and George Skrzypniak came ready for the long haul. The $340 PLO/NLH Mix drew 101 entries and played out over nearly 14 hours before Skrzypniak stood tall, trophy in hand.
Event #2 $340 PLO/NLH Mix Payouts
| Position | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Skrzypniak | $8,165 |
| 2 | Jeffrey Weiss | $5,630 |
| 3 | Justin Pennell | $3,660 |
| 4 | Eric Taylor | $2,815 |
| 5 | Abraham Naha | $2,165 |
| 6 | Brian Wells | $1,715 |
| 7 | Walter Vasquez | $1,350 |
| 8 | Kyle Levicki | $1,070 |
| 9 | Ali Razzaq | $870 |
| 10 | Matej Bosnjak | $705 |
| 11 | Ben Sarnelli | $640 |
From the jump, Skrzypniak built momentum — and chips — dominating the bubble with nearly double the next closest stack. He came into the final table with a healthy lead and never let go.
However it was one hand that cemented Skrzypniak on the path to his first PPT Trophy. Jeffrey Weiss moved all in, and both George Skrzypniak and Justin Pennell made the call. All three players revealed their holdings.
Justin Pennell: J♦J♥
George Skrzypniak: A♦A♣
Jeffrey Weiss: 5♣5♥
The board ran out K♠2♠9♠6♥3♥, for Skrzypniak to take the pot.
George Skrzypniak: 2,245,000
Jeffrey Weiss: 280,000
Weiss hung tough and managed to double up twice during heads-up play, but when Skrzypniak flopped a straight and got it in again, it was all over. After a long grind, George Skrzypniak locked up his first PPT title and a strong start to the series.
Check out the full live reporting for all the key moments in our live blog.
